good morning. menacing and hazardous. winter weather alerts in a whopping 31 states this morning. some of the country's biggest cities, washington, new york, boston, bracing for sleet, freezing rain anng rain and sno. prayer, reflection and celebration. ♪ >> a week of memorial events under way in south africa this morning to say good-bye to nelson mande underway inla south africa to s good bye to nelson mandela. lester is live with the latest. and it is off. prince harry's race to the south pole cancelled. that doesn't mean the royal is giving up on his mission to reach the bottom of the world.

from nbc news this is a special edition of "today" with lester holt live from south africa and erica hill live from studio 1 a in rockefeller plaza. >> as wee mentioned, lester hol in soweto, south africa, where the official events to honor the life of nelson mandela are under way today. good morning, lester. >> reporter: good morning, erica. today was the official day of prayer and reflection. all that notwithstanding, it continues to be a day or a week of celebration of the life of nelson mandela. people here in the streets in soweto once again celebrating his life. we'll tell you about that. we'll tell you about the services held across south africa today from parks to churches as people gather to remember the father of their country. we will also tell you the

specific plans now that we know about president obama's visit along with some other u.s. presidents here to south africa later this week as we report from soweto. >> lester, looking forward to that. we will get back to you shortly. we want to get to today's top story in the u.s., another round of both powerful winter storms creating treacherous conditions at this point from california all the way to new england. the weather channel's mike seidel is in a very chilly leesburg, virginia, this morning. good morning. >> reporter: good morning. as we await the first wintery weather west of washington, dallas is encased in ice. the west coast got slammed by a second storm on saturday. in barts of north dakota and montana, temperatures have stayed below zero since thursday. no break in the wintery blast as a new storm moved into california. heavy snow in the mountains made the roads unsafe. >> it's slippery and dangerous. you try to change lanes and you're going sideways. >> reporter: icy conditions

saturday went as far south as los angeles county, putting a total freeze on i-5 cutting off the major route between loss ang also -- >> it's ice from here all the way to oklahoma, r i-35 was impassable until the sun came up. over at the airport they're trying to get hundreds of stuck passengers in the air following more than 2700 canceled flights over three days. a frustrated traveler posted this to youtube. >> well, this is day three, terminal d here in dallas, texas. all flights canceled once again. >> reporter: work crews are trying to restore power to about 100,000 customers still in the cold and the dark. >> getting out sleeping bags, moving the couch to the fireplace and huddling around. >> reporter: it was cold. only 26 degrees on saturday, more than 30 degrees below average. so cold these palm trees in

tyler are wrapped in installation. the rangers baseball park is covered in snow. you can play ice hockey on the streets of dallas. newburgh, indiana, is good for skating, too. head farther north and it really gets cold. it was 18 below in billings, montana when these hearty souls took the polar bear plunge. wow, 47 jumped into that frozen lake, all for a good cause, racing money for the special olympics. by the way, the windchill was 35 below zero. back here, a whole lot warmer, around 30, as we await the season's first snow, sleet and freezing rain. erica, i can't get over the guy plays ice hockey on the streets of dallas. >> that is crazy video. i can't get over jum in the water when the windchill is 30 below. mike seidel, thanks. dylan is here now with a closer look at what we can expect coming our way. >> we'll see a little bit of . it starts as snow, changes

to ice and eventually rain. you can see in pink in parts of kentucky into areas like western virginia and west virginia itself the pink creates the problems, the icing that coats the trees and power lines and we end up with power outages. we will see the freezing rain take over eventually. it is dropping to 31 in roanoake. we have winter storm warning with ice storm warnings in north carolina. in virginia a possibility we could end up close to a half an inch of ice. you look further north icing in northern new jersey and new england should be around .1 inch before it changes to rain. i want to turn back to lester in south africa. >> reporter: thanks. as we mentioned south africans are observing a national day of prayer and reflection.

it is the start of the official event to celebrate the life of nelson mandela. >> reporter: you can imagine in churches around the world today mandela might be mentioned. here people are encouraged to reflect on the message of the champion of freedom. people in enormous numbers felt better gathering together including members of mandela's family. it had the feeling of a sunday revival. here a few hundred gathered in a tent at mandela's offices full of joy. >> we don't mourn by crying. we celebrate. we need to secelebrate his life

>> people come and telling us like how much he loves us. >> reporter: there were many services today winnie mandela and south african president attended. the last time they met he held mandela's hand in the hospital. >> i left knowing he wouldn't be long with us. >> reporter: grief day by day in celebration of the powerful life legacy. the feeling here is absolutely jubilant. more people than we have seen so far. down in cape town surfers gathered in a big circle on their boards and joined hands in tribute. one described it in one word, goose bumps.

lester. >> reporter: thanks very much. nbc news special correspondent lived here in south africa. it is an amazing moment to be here. you interviewed nelson mandela when he was released from prison and talked to him about how people viewed him as a mythical character. it makes me wonder how he would view all of this. >> let me say how nostalgic this is. i was just across the street when he first got out of prison. i think he would be pleased. he is a very modest man but i think he enjoys the fact that people appreciated him and what he was trying to do. i think he would be thrilled by this. >> look at all of the young

people born after he was released from risen, after he left office. >> called born frees. >> reporter: i wonder if they got the message and appreciate how much of a different south africa this is. >> you see white people walking unafraid with their babies and everything. you see interracial couples. a lot of them don't have jobs. that is the biggest challenge in this country, joblessness. >> there is a widening gap between black and white. as we celebrate nelson mandela's life are we too acocusative?

>> there is a widening gap of the poor and not poor. some of the black people in this country have really achieved upper and middle class status. it hasn't trickled down to the vast majority. i think the real concern here today, not this moment, of course, but the concern is how this country will accommodate the vast majority of unemployed, under educated and many uneducated in that 18 to 35 age group. >> reporter: thanks s great te you. >> david gregory making a rare sunday appearance in new york hosting meet the press this morning from new york. we have been hearing further plans from president obama,

former president clinton and carter. what will the role be at the events? >> to be there to pay tribute and give it the sense of moment that it deserves. and i think for all of them at different levels, president bush who i covered did not have the closest relationship with mandela but respected him. president obama in a unique way encouraged to go see him when he is still a senator. mandela encouraged to meet with up and coming star in politics. for our president to be so moved by mandela, to really have his own place in a civil rights struggle against apartheid. >> when it comes to president obama's presence on the international stage this potential for comprehensive agreement with iran yesterday. it could be worse.

when it comes to the international stage how is his capital? >> i don't think it is exceedingly high. i think a lot of american allies think america has lost its nerve in some regard particularly when it comes to confronting iran. i think there is difficulty with our credibility because our economic standing has impact as well. it doesn't diminish america's power and influence in the world. >> how much focus for president obama in terms of international? it isn't just iran? >> it is looking so difficult. as you look towards next year disengaging from afghanistan becomes the story. iran becomes the big test. no one knows whether iran will do what president obama wants it to do which is basically

dismantle any pretense. >> nice to have you here. we'll see you a little bit laterer. a little bit later. we vel a preview of "meet the press" later. meantime jenna is here with the morning's top stories. nice to see you. >> nice to see you, too. 85-year-old war veteran merrill newman is back in california after being detachbd for more than a month in north korea. north korean officials say he was being held on charges of hostile acts against the regime stemming from his service in the korean war. he was finally reunited with his family in san francisco on saturday after the north koreans deported him. >> it's been a great homecoming, and i'm tired but ready to be with my family. >> a spokane medical examiner is set to perform an autopsy monday to determine what caused the death of a teenager on a delta air lines flight on saturday. the flight from seattle to atlanta was forced to make an

emergency landing in spokane shortly after takeoff. investigators says it appeared the 16-year-old died of natural causes. the teen was the son of a soldier based in washington. he and his family were flying to atlanta for the holidays. thousands are expected to turn out today for a tribute to "fast and furious" star paul walker. a memorial rally and car cruise is scheduled this afternoon in valencia, california in honor of the late actor. . walker was killed in a fiery car crash on saturday. olympic gold medalist lindsay vonn returning to the sloping for a third day in a row. the schedule has her peaking just before the sochi olympics. she placed 11 during saturday's downhill race. it was an improvement from friday. remember we told you yesterday about 23-year-old general far grat from boston, doesn't speak a leak of arabic,

but entered the "arabs got talent" and was one of three finalists. she didn't win. she placed third. she considers the experience a success. i'm sure you're wondering who won, wait for it. it was a syrian dance troop. >> which one? >> sima. >> no, no. it wasn't the other one. what do you call someone who makes the seemingly impossible possible? not our hair and makeup team with me every morning. what? the auburn football team. you remember last weekend auburn, impressing every fan and non-fan out there in a stunning iron bowl win over alabama. the team won saturday against missouri in the sec championship. a record 304 yards on 46 carries. final score 59-42. next up for the very lucky auburn, playing the lottery, finding world peace and organizing all the pictures on my phone. if they can come up with those

two wins, everything else should be pretty easy. >> can we have them pick some tickets for us. now to dylan for a look at the national forecast. >> she's back. she stepped it up. i appreciate that. we're looking at really bitter cold temperatures across the northern plains. it is 11 below right now in billings. five in denver. even dallas is only at 27 degrees. we're certainly not seeing any melting of that ice. bismarck about two and salt lake city topping out at 22. it's not going to warm up from where it is right now. we're keeping an eye on the ice good morning. at 6:16 waking up to a frigid start. black ice likely from the 101 to san rafael. we're at 16 in petaluma, 26 in

san rafael. 30 in sunnyvale right now. overall, it will be a cold day. temperatures in the 20s and 30s. later on this afternoon, expect some sunshine but it will remain cold. keep those jackets handy. we're only talking about temperatures today in the mid to upper 40s across the bay. that's your latest forecast. erica? >> dylan, thanks. up next, extreme conditions at the bottom of the world forced the cancellation of prince the bottom of the world forced the cancellation of prince harry's race, but his as your life changes, fidelity is there for your personal economy, helping you readjust along the way, refocus as careers change and kids head off to college, and revisit your investments as retirement gets closer. wherever you are today, fidelity's guidance can help you fine-tune your personal economy. start today with a free one-on-one review of your retirement plan.

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if you think the weather is bad here across much of the country this morning, be thankful you're not in art art ka where prince harry's race to the south pole is now over. but, as we like to say, the show must go on. that's actually part of the plan. nbc's kristen dahlgren is here with more. good morning. >> good morning, erica. this is for a good cause, to benefit wounded warriors. instead of competing, the teams will cooperate, all fighting together to complete what has been a more difficult trek than expected. three teams, almost 200 miles across some of the world's harshest terrain. famous faces like prince harry and actor alexander skarsgaard leading teams of wounded warriors to the south pole in the bitter cold. >> it's minus 30. apparently it's plus 30 where you are. >> reporter: after five days of

harsh wind and brutal conditions, organizers decided the race had gotten too dangerous. >> over the last couple days i felt a little uncomfortable with some of the stress being placed on the team members as a result of very harsh terrain conditions that we're encountering. >> reporter: that doesn't mean the trek is over. far from it. in fact, there are still almost 70 miles to go. so teams will now work together to make sure 12 servicemen and women who once faced life-changing injuries will stand on the south pole by next weekend. the former competitors now united in a common goal which, in the end isn't much different than how harry described the race before he started. >> if i'm given the opportunity, it means i can help these guys out, creating more awareness for them or whatever, then so what to minus 50 and 19-mile-an-hour winds. >> it is serious conditions out there. they had a day of rest yesterday and they'll be driven to the same spot all starting that 70-mile trek. >> it is great they're

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good morning to you looking live at san francisco from our camera in emeryville, and, boy, it is still very cold, dangerously cold in some spots. thanks for joining us. i'm kris sanchez along with anthony slaughter who has a look at the weekend forecast and, boy, that map is blue. >> we are talking about dangerously cold conditions outside right now. and the thing to make note of, we picked up an inch of rain yesterday in some locations, so the whole corridor, the potential for black ice is out there this morning. and you will notice it's not just the north bay that's cold. even over towards livermore, below freezing at 31. even san jose, look at this, down in the south bay 33 degrees

in sunnyvale right now at 30. a bright day in the south bay. by noon, 44 degrees. same for the peninsula and you will notice lots of sideliunshid the freeze warning will remain in effect through tomorrow morning. across the north bay, east bay, and tri-valley, waking up to some clouds but by this afternoon we're talking about full-blown sunshine but jacket weather, maybe even heavy coat weather. we're talking about 40s for daytime highs today, kris. >> i'm wearing double mittens. the freezing temperatures were the cause of a new death in dublin overnight where another homeless person was found. the cold weather claiming its fifth victim in the bay yar nearly every bed was filled last night. expanding hours and bed space during the freeze warning, no

one was turned away. teams handed out so many blankets that they're now running low on supplies. ehc says they will still be handing out more blankets tomorrow for people who refuse to come in out of the cold. an 85-year-old veteran from palo alto is waking up in his own bed after spending more than a month at a korean jail. merrill newman was reunited with his wife and son. they own a home in santa cruz which is where they spent the night. the couple too tired to talk further about the ordeal, but mr. newman only saying he was delighted to be home at the airport. >> it's been a great homecoming, and i'm tired, but ready to be with my family. >> newnewman's son sent us this photo showing his family enjoying this meal together. mr. newman, a veteran of the

korean war, has refused to answer any questions about his treatment during captivity but the younger newman says he'll let us know when his father is ready to talk about his ordeal. there are only two games left at handle stick. today the 49ers play the biggest game of the season of the seahawks and starting tomorrow niners fans will be able to own a piece of the stick. but how much will it cost to take home your favorite piece? that story and all the days news coming up at 7:00. right now, here is more of the "today" show. good morning nelly! woah. hey! have you ever tried honey nut cheerios? love 'em. neat! now you on the other hand... you need some help. why? look atchya. what is that? you mean my honey wand? [ shouting ] [ splat ] come on. matter of fact. [ rustling ] shirt. shoes. shades. ah! wow! now that voice... my voice? [ auto-tuned ] what's wrong with my voice? yeah man, bee got swag! be happy! be healthy! that's gotta go too. ♪ hey! must be the honey!

[ sparkle ] sweet. it's nye 60th birthday. >> mine, too. >> we're 16 today. >> happy birthday! >> boston misses you, dylan. so nice. we always get so many fun friends on the plaza from boston who love coming to see dylan. >> best fans. >> because we stole her. we're happy to share her with you on saturday and sunday mornings. it's december 8, 2013 as we say hello to the crowd gathered out there on a chilly rockefeller plaza. it's, what, 34 degrees out there? >> yes, not warm. but warmer compared to most of the rest of the country. >> that mix of snow and ice is on the way.

we'll wrap things up for them so think can get the hot chocolate. i'm erica hill along with jenna wolfe and dylan dreyer. lester is in south africa. we begin with the severe weather threat, a dangerous wintery mix which now stretches from the south all the way up into maine. a new round of power outages is expected. hundreds of flights could be canceled or delayed. meantime a happy homecoming from the 85-year-old u.s. veteran detained in north korea for more than a month. merrill newman arrived in san francisco said he was, quote, delighted but declined to talk about his time there. susan boyle who rose to fame on "britain's got talent" revealing she's been diagnosed with asperger's syndrome. >> interesting revelation there. a lot more to get to in this half hour. we have -- you sit home and you

wonder if you'll be able to afford everything on your holiday shopping list. that's what i'm wondering even though my kid is only this big. mario is here with alternatives to this season's hottest tech gifts, right? >> oh, yeah. he has them. he just doesn't have a mic on. >> i'm so far removed from tv right now. i can't hear you! since it is your first weekend back, we have advice for all new parents out there who are finding it hard to ease into your old work routine. you're getting there. >> slowly. i tripped a little yesterday. i'm back into full swing. >> you weren't on this set. we were still outside, and this set was being built when you left. >> right. new camera -- that room is so orange. is that on purpose? there's a lot of orange. >> it's called the orange room. >> is that what it is? i have been watching a lot of tv. i'm excited. i want this advice. i'm seeking this advice. >> maybe we'll bring you to the orange room to go with the advice. we want to begin with lester

in south africa. lester i think is in the middle of one of those celebratory crowds at this moment. >> reporter: they have been dancing up a storm. it's all i can do to resist joining them. what a celebration this is in the streets of soweto. more than a celebration, i have to admit it gives me chills to watch what is taking place, the celebration of nelson mandela's life, especially when you think they're celebrating a man who helped lead them into democracy. think about the life of a black south african under apartheid. you couldn't vote, only live in certain areas, you had to carry pass around. you didn't even have citizenship in the country of your birth. that helps you put this in perspective what we're seeing here. black south africans, white south africans joining in this celebration in soweto and really across this country and around the world. now, we want to tell you, today was the day of reflection and prayer, a lot of people in this country went to church services, synagogues, mosques, different parts of the country to

celebrate his life. there is going to be a memorial service on tuesday. the president and first lady will attend that memorial at a soccer stadium right here soweto. presidents george w. bush, president carter, president clinton will also be here in south africa. although their exact itineraries have not been announced. of course, security very tight. we're told south african officials have been overwhelmed by this. they haven't had this many heads of state come since nelson mandela was inaugurated in 1994. a lot of logistics being worked out now. the celebration continues as the tun stri undergoes its be loved father, ma dean deeb ba, nelson mandela. let's go back to dylan for a check of the weather. >> ten years cancer-free. good for you. happy 60th birthday.

>> we are looking at the potential for an ice storm in parts of virginia. we want to show you that right away, that we could end up with a half inch in roanoke. that's a enough to really make a mess of the power grid and the roads, too. we could see about one to three inches of snow, especially from philadelphia briefly in new york city before it turns to a wintery mix and eventually gets washed away by rain. we could see ice and several inches of snow in central and northern new england. elsewhere it's about the cold temperatures, down below zero in most of good morning. at 6:35 pwaking up to cold air across the bay. only 27 in santa rosa and 26 in napa. the entire north bay still dealing with that threat for black ice. you can see concord at 32. 31 for livermore. san jose at 33.

take it easy once you step outside today. we are waking up to some clouds but the temperatures by this afternoon will warm, only slightly though, back into the mid to upper 40s across the bay today. for today's top spot, we're taking you to a chilly salinas, california, from our affiliate ksbw, the grand opening of tatum's garden. it's a wonderful place. a fully inclusive and accessible playground for children of all ages and physical abilities. the opening will include face painting, entertainment and lots of opportunities for kids to play. my advice is bundle up. it's a lot colder in california than it should be. >> we'll take that advice here in new york, too. as we know the holidays can be tough on families dealing with a difficult situation. when one parent is in the military, it can make the challenges even greater. janet shamlian has made it

easier. >> reporter: on a quiet cul-de-sac in aurora, california, they arrived with a plan. >> we'll surprise the ander sorn family. >> reporter: one they carry out with military-like precision. they aren't soldiers but have come to surprise one, an airman, major matt anderson and his family. >> we're going to hopefully make your christmas more enjoyable with all the challenges. >> reporter: it's been a tough year for the andersons. son nate was diagnosed with leukemia. >> your chest just drops. and you think, no, no it's just a pneumonia or something. they're wrong. >> reporter: it was cancer. the 5-year-old has been in and out of the hospital for six months, all as major anderson was taking on new duties at buckley air force base. >> how to get all the extra things done when it's so time consuming being at the hospital with his appointments and getting groceries and trying to get normal day life done.

>> reporter: when the company, christmas decor, learned of the andersons, they decided to deck their halls for free. it's truly a labor of love, every wreath and light that you see is donated. not just here, but for military families all across the country. every year more than 100 families with a mom or dad serving get the same surprise from workers like john gibson. >> it would be hard to find somebody is more deserving. >> reporter: yards of garland and thousands of lights later it felt like christmas. >> i'm thinking about winning the prize for the best house decorated. >> reporter: for a family that has been through a challenging year, their home now a point of happiness. serving those who serve our nation by making the holidays bright. janet shamlian, nbc news, aurora, california. >> such a great story. if you'd like to give your loved one a high-tech gift but maybe short on cash -- they're not cheap -- we have affordable

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we are back this morning with mario's top three. >> no one knows how to say my name. >> he doesn't know if he wants

to be mario or mario. we're going with both this morning. here is what we do know. he has great less expensive alternatives for some of the season's must-have tech gifts. mario armstrong is today's digital lifestyle contributor. we're always happy when you're here. >> i want to save people money and make things stress free. >> the first thing we'll look at is streaming video on your tv. this is something like apple tv that people may be familiar with. that's about a hundred bucks. >> yes, about 99 bucks. apple tv is great. tons of content. you can do air play mirroring. you can show what's on your iphone or ipad on the big screen. >> otherwise you're using a device like this to basically watch streaming video. it could be something like netflix or a youtube video or something like that on your tvs throughout your house. >> that's right. so google -- what's new and what's lower cost, google has something called the chromecast. it's only 35 bucks.

you actually plug this right into your hdmi slot in the back of your tv. >> it does all the same things? >> not all the same content. you can get youtube, netflix, hbo go, pandora, and more coming. any time you use a chrome web browser from your lab top or tablet, you can stream that direct live to your big screen. >> a third of the cost. >> a third, 35 bucks. >> that's one option for streaming video. when it comes to a gaming system, there's the xbox, the play station, talking hundreds of dollars. something else you have that i don't know how to pronounce. >> people are so used to the big three, nintendo, sony and microsoft. this is called ouya. the website is ouya.tv. it's made by gamers who left big companies to come up with their own thing. this is 99 bucks.

>> versus as high as 500. >> here is a fun thing, too. ki try out any game for free. you have to have the internet at home to download the game. i can try any game for free. they run from free to 15 bucks. >> so the games are less expensive, too. >> you might say it looks like a little kiddie game. they have all types, they have the first person shooters. >> a little tight on time. before we let you go, wireless speakers. >> a lot of people like bose and the big names. they sound great and have great quality. my particular favorite is the sonos. it's $299, gives me wireless control. i can change the volume and the track. if i add more speakers on different parts of the house, ki listen to different music in different areas. >> you can control it with your phone? >> control it with my phone. >> if we went with all your picks, we could save $570 dollars. >> yes. >> that's why i love this man. get back with the answer on how

to pronounce your name. >> my dad calls me mario. my mom yells at me with mario. >> it's a lot to discuss. that will do it for the top three. check those out on our website that's your new boss? yeah. well...your boss loves the beach. really? she's been to london, paris and her son plays baseball. you psychic? no. i speak pandora. ♪

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it is a very special weekend around here. it is jenna's first weekend back from maternity leave. we have missed her very much. we're happy she got lots of time with harper. it's a big adjustment when you come back as a working parent. we thought we'd gather up some thoughts from some of your fellow working parts and maybe some day working parents here at the "today" show. >> jenna, some of the best advice i got before coming back to work after my first son was born was from my son heather who said to focus on whatever the task is at hand. if you're at work, focus on work. when you're with your baisch by, focus on harper. >> i have to say, first, welcome back to a normal sleep schedule, at least as normal as mornings on "weekend today" can be. when i went back to work, that's when i got caught up on my sleep once again. >> i remember when we were

talking about how jenna would be when she had harper. we had visions of her being this warm, caring mom. it's amazing because that's exactly what she is. if there's anything she's nervous about moving forward, just have that confidence that you're a mom now. you're going to figure it out. everything is going to be just fine. >> it's tough. you get used to that non-stop time with the baby and the connection you make. when you come to work, it's a huge chunk of your day where you're not with her, and it's tough. it's not an easy transition. >> coming back to work was good. i was ready. but, of course, i was used to being with my babe 24 hours a day and i missed her. it's really great for us to be able to work and show our daughters that we have this other life. >> i think today's parent has it made compared to when my kids were little. you have skype and face time and these things. you can interact. it's not just a phone call. >> traveling is hard.

my husband sends me videos of mila every night i'm gone. my goal is to be at home at bath time every night when i'm in new york so i can at least have those precious few hours of nighttime routine. >> the more you can focus on the positive in every situation, the better every situation is. even when you're traveling, think of it as a chance to sleep late more. when you're at home, think about it as moch time with harper. when you're back at work, think how excited you are to hang out with us again. >> the thing is, dwrount have to worry. we've been there, done that, we'll help guide you through it. hold your hand every step of the way. take it day by day. when you go home, give your little one a bigger hug. >> the one thing jenna will find out and everybody says this to new parents, it happens so fast. they'll grow up before you know it. trust me. it does. mine are many their 20s. only yesterday i was rocking them with one hand. it really does go fast. >> i think what harper is going

to see is we are two women who are, although very focused on our careers and passionate about them, are also very passionate about her and care about her and that she's the priority. to be able to see that i think is great for any child. >> i think it's nice that you sent a picture of harper in orange because we're in the orange room. it's sweet watching you watch pictures of harper and see watching you and steph and harper together. >> i know every parent does it. >> no pressure at all, dylan. we're here in the orange room. we're talking about how this new studio thing happened while you were gone. a lot of action takes place now in the #orangeroom. a way to introduce you to do is to take some questions from our

viewers. >> the monitor, one finger and one finger only, when you swipe this. >> you know that from pfrnl experience. >> it will mess you up. first question, how are nights with the baby? the baby is beautiful. >> before harper came along, i thought no sleep, no problem. now that shees here, you steal sleep wherever you can find time to sleep. we're a good six, seven hours at night. i'll take that. >> as a new mom, i'm trying to lose baby weight. what was your workout routine like, did you go on a special diet? >> no special diet. i don't want to restrict calories. i'm eating better. there is no secret. you work as hard as you can, but within healthy confines and give it time. i think after a little bit of time you start seeing results. can't rush this. >> took nine months to get you

there, actually ten. i think lester has a question for you from south africa. >> reporter: i do. having been trained, jenna, by you, i know how tough that is. you have this healthy lifestyle. how will you introduce harper to a healthy lifestyle? will it be food, doing workouts with her when she's ready? >> you're leaving new york came at a decent time. i cleared out your office oovps. your office is where i'm setting up some sort of refrigerator with healthy food and gym equipment. my office is where we'll be doing actual work. in your office, lester. >> oh, boy. can't wait. >> keep the questions and the advice coming. jenna will keep the pictures of harper coming. >> i'm going to tour the room. >> we'll ♪ [ male announcer ] this holiday, don't get stuck at the corner of "oh! you got me something" and "oh...this is awkward."

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nature valley. nature at its most delicious. ♪ this is our 20th annual toy drive at the today show. here with a very special contribution, connie tang, president and ceo of princess house. you brought these super fun -- we're all obsessed with these -- kids cooking essentials. >> we're so proud to participate in the toy drive, we're donating over 11,000 items, over $210,000 to over ten non-profit charitable organizations. and these tools are developed to be high quality, food grade safe so kids can start learning how to cook healthy and prepare healthy snacks and really bring the family together. all of you have nieces or children who want to be like mom and play in the kitchen. well, here is a great way to get started. >> you have them for kids who want to be like dad, too.

>> absolutely. >> a little something for everybody. great work empowering women. great to have you here. thanks for the donation. >> thank you. want to check in with david gregory, moderator of "meet the press." what's coming up on this morning's show, david? >> erica, good morning. a special "meet the press" this morning with an in-depth look at nelson mandela. we'll look at mandela's life, his effects on u.s. politics and policy and how he handled controversies and criticism, all part of his enduring legacy all coming up this morning from new york on "meet the press." >> looking forward to that. one quick reminder when it comes to the toy drive, you can donate online. go to today.com for more on that. that's its for us in new york on this sunday morning. lester, we'll be seeing more of you tonight. >> reporter: we will be. i'm pretty sure dylan called this, big downpour in johannesburg. we'll see you tonight on "nbc nightly news." so long. >> have a great day everyone.

good morning. i'm kris sanchez. coming up on "today in the bay," the freezing bay area temperatures have claimed the life of another homeless person. the ongoing effort to reach out to those who don't have shelter. also, an 85-year-old palo alto man is home this morning after he's freed from north korea. we'll hear from him as he's reunited with his family. and owning a piece of the stick. we'll show you how much niners fans will have to shell out to bring a seat home. this is "today in the bay." from nbc bay area, this is "today in the bay." good morning to you. looking live at a very beautiful start to the day. pink sky there, blue sky, some golden sunshine, but it's not going to do much to warm up the temperatures. thanks for joining us this